


hopeless, head over heels in the moment

by harukatenoh



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Beaches, M/M, gay staring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 12:45:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5540567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harukatenoh/pseuds/harukatenoh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elliot takes Leo to the beach, and they both witness beautiful sights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	hopeless, head over heels in the moment

**Author's Note:**

> i've been working on this fic for so long ohhh my god... back at it again with the elleos.. one of my fave ships. shoutout to henry for dealing with my Constant Elleo Angst Bullshit, i'm sorry and i love you
> 
> work title is from lovebug by the jonas brothers. you have permission to drag me for that

Leo has never really considered going to the beach an epic milestone in his life. He’s never seen it, true, but he’s also never had the urge to, and so like many things in his life, it remained an out of reach luxury. An occasional daydream to entertain, nothing more.

To Elliot though, in keeping with his determination to disagree with everything Leo said, it’s a completely different matter. 

The first time Elliot asks Leo if he’d ever seen the sea was around two months after Leo had been enlisted as Elliot’s manservant. Leo had been surprised by the question, but responded with no. It hadn’t been a big deal to him, he’d come to terms with it long before. 

Elliot, possessing all the melodrama and entitlement becoming of one his rank, had immediately taken some sort of twisted offense at this fact. Declaring it an outrage that Leo had never seen the sea, he’d demanded that Leo just  _ had _ to visit the beach. Leo let himself be dragged along by the zealous blonde, watching him order people around and pull strings until it was confirmed that indeed, they were going for a trip. To the seaside. It’s quite the feat, being able to pull one together in such a short time, but Elliot has a penchant for the impossible, and Leo, unfortunately, has a penchant for Elliot. 

(Leo doesn’t know when he had gotten so used to Elliot, so accustomed to him that any time he spent away from Elliot’s side was strangely empty and left him feeling detached and vacant until Elliot graced him with his presence again.)

Elliot is currently draped onto Leo’s shoulder, eyes closed and expression soft. Leo studies his features, taking in how the blonde looked when he isn’t on the verge of fighting somebody, a rare sight to see. His chest rises and falls rhythmically, and Leo leans forward a little more, face almost directly over Elliot’s. The peace suits Elliot, softening his features in a way that made Leo’s head swim.

Then, as if something inside Elliot had registered that he  _ isn’t _ being a massive pain in the neck for once and decided to rectify it, his blue eyes snap open. Leo starts back the same time Elliot starts forward, and then it is Elliot leaning over Leo, eyes narrowed.

“What was that for?” Elliot snaps, already alert despite just having woken up. Sorely missing the quiet of the previous seconds, Leo shrugs, rising to the jab in Elliot’s voice. 

“Just checking you weren’t dead. It’d have been awfully inconvenient, which sounds pretty much like you.” He replies casually, breaking eye contact with Elliot and turning his gaze out to the window. Elliot grumbles irritably, an incoherent comeback that is lost to Leo. His focus had been turned to the scene outside the window, where a glittering blue had come into view amongst the sloping greens of the foliage. It’s mesmerising, catching Leo’s gaze and refusing to let him go. He breathes out slowly, loathe to admit that now he is here, he’s  _ excited _ , anticipation building up as gradually as the sea came into sight. 

Elliot beside him has gone quiet, watching Leo with an odd look on his face. Leo catches it in his peripheral vision, just briefly, before it turns back into haughty satisfaction.

“We’re almost there.” Elliot announces to Leo, who turns around properly to face the other boy. He bites back a comment about how he can clearly see that fact, considering the brilliant shine of the ocean is now directly ahead of them. It’s distracting, urging Leo to stare openly, but he keeps his eyes on Elliot.

Elliot, who is looking rather pleased with himself, fingers folded neatly and a small smirk on his face, like he somehow knows how affected Leo is by the sight of the ocean. Leo keeps his expression impassive, suddenly wondering just how well Elliot can read Leo now, how much has changed in those few months. 

(It is beginning to occur to Leo that while he had been getting used to Elliot’s presence, accustomed to his life intertwining with the other’s, that Elliot had been doing the same with him. How mutual is this feeling of familiarity? How deep has the bond they shared become?)

He is snapped out of this troubling line of thought by the car coming to a halt, sending Leo forward abruptly. The seatbelt saves him, jolting him backwards, but not before Elliot’s hand snaps out and lands on his chest, pushing him back. Elliot looks down at it, bewildered, as if even he is surprised that he tried to break Leo’s fall. The gesture is useless in the light of the seatbelt, but that doesn’t stop the warm feeling bubbling up inside of Leo. He stares at Elliot’s hand in shock, before coming back to his senses.

“T-thanks.” Leo stammers, the hand unbudging. They both stare, Elliot at his palm pressing onto Leo, Leo at Elliot.

The moment is broken when Elliot retracts his outstretched arm so quickly Leo is surprised he doesn’t get whiplash. The blonde turns up his nose, stuttering something that sounded like  _ you’re welcome _ and  _ pay more attention _ , both at once. Laughter builds up in Leo at the sight of Elliot, clearly embarrassed, and he smiles, concealing it by starting to unclip his seatbelt. 

He walks over to Elliot’s side of the car quickly, pulling open the door for the other boy. Elliot sits and blinks at the sudden sunlight, looking up at Leo through squinted eyes.

“Ah. Thank you.” Elliot murmurs, clearing his throat with a hint of awkwardness. Moving out of the car while still retaining his haughty grace, he grabs Leo’s arm, pulling him forward. Leo just manages to grab their bag before Elliot drags him away, running after Elliot with eyes rolling.

“Close your eyes.” Elliot commands, and Leo follows instinctively, although a retort was already forming on his lips.

“I’ve already seen it on the drive. It’s not going to be a surprise.” He says out into the air, the only thing informing him of his direction being Elliot’s hand. Elliot continues to pull Leo along, and he feels them go down a slope and the ground beneath his feet changing to sand.

They continue walking in silence for a while, Leo hyper-aware of Elliot’s hand in his own, the cool breeze on his face, the sharp scent of the salt. 

Eventually they come to a halt, and Leo is tempted to open his eyes when a hand clamps over them. 

“No peeking.” Elliot orders, and Leo huffs, crossing his arms and attempting to glare into Elliot’s palm. Elliot places his other hand at Leo’s waist, turning him slightly to face into the breeze, blowing the unfamiliar scent of the sea into Leo’s face.

“It’s just the beach, I’ve already seen pictures and I saw it on the drive anywa-”

The hand lifts, and Leo blinks in the sudden light. His vision clears as he prepares his next jibe towards Elliot, but it dies unsaid.

Instead, he simply says “Oh.”

The sea stretches out in front of him, rippling in the wind and crashing into shore with the elegance of a falling leaf. The water is blue,  _ so incredibly blue _ and Leo’s never seen a more vibrant colour in his life, except maybe the colour of Elliot’s eyes. 

The sun dances off the water like music notes, the breaking of the waves filling Leo’s ears. He knows he’s staring, unable to move his gaze, unwilling. His expression melts into one of awe and wonder, delight filling his eyes as he pushes back his fringe for a better look.

Too caught up in the image of the beach, the glittering gold of the sand and the swaying blue of the ocean, Leo doesn’t notice Elliot, standing next to him.

He doesn’t notice how Elliot’s expression morphs into a similar one too his, all marvel and reverence, blue eyes burning with enchantment. If he had noticed, he would have first pinned it on the sight of the beach, even if Elliot had seen it before.

Then, maybe, he would have realized Elliot wasn’t looking at the beach.

And then, he does realize, after moving his gaze from the sea to Elliot.

Elliot is looking at  _ him _ .

Leo meets Elliot’s gaze, staring at the wonder and fondness clearly etched in Elliot’s expression. He feels like a wave has just crashed against him as he realizes that the look is directed at him, his heart turning unfamiliar inside of his chest. His hair falls back in his face as the hand that had been holding it back falls to his side, obscuring his vision slightly. It’s not enough to block out Elliot’s face, however, and Leo can still feel his gaze pouring onto him like molten sunshine.

“Oh.” He says again, and Elliot stops looking at him like  _ that _ .

Instead, Elliot grins, still a little bewildered but mostly in triumph, and reaches up to brush Leo’s hair away a little awkwardly. 

“I told you that you’d like it.” The blonde murmurs, voice a little strained, like the words had been too big for his throat. 

“Yeah.” Leo responds, mouth dry and skin prickling. He smiles at Elliot. “It’s beautiful.”


End file.
